Chapter 10: Croatoan pt. 1

The ride to Portland was long and annoying to put it nicely. Bella had ditched last second to go, so Alice and Rosalie weren't coming with, which I was fine with. It was the fact that Lauren and Jessica had talked nonstop the whole four hours that irked me. We left around 7 am and it was almost noon now. No food, hardly any sleep (since Paul and Embry stayed over until almost 3 am), and they kept changing or turning the radio off. Why did I even agree to come, I grumbled to myself.

"There's the store Lex! See if you can park out front!" Jessica was bouncing out of her seat as I pulled up to the store.

"I heard they have the best deals on dresses too!" Lauren said while fixing her hair.

"Well come on guys we don't have all day!" Jessica was out of the car before I fully parked.

This is going to be a long day. I mean all the dresses the store had were pretty but expensive. I lost count of the number of dresses that they tried on but always found something wrong with each one.

"Well this was a bust." Jessica didn't hide the disappointment in her voice. Both Lauren and her didn't find a dress but surprisingly Angela did. She was currently paying for it as Jessica and Lauren were sulking.

"The cashier said there's a store in River Grove that has a ton of dresses." Angela said as we loaded her dress up in the trunk.

"River Grove?" I looked up at her thinking of my conversation with Kelsey from last night.

"Well let's go check it out! I need to find a dress today." Lauren said looking up from her phone.

As we headed back to my car, I pulled my phone out and texted Kelsey to tell her we were headed that way.

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It didn't take long to get to River Grove, it was a short 30 minute drive from where we were in Portland.

"Where is everyone?" Angela was looking confused out the window. Car doors were left open on some vehicles while some places had uneaten food left on tables.

"I dont think anyone's here." I said my voice was strained. My eyes where darting around looking for signs of anyone.

"Guys my phone isn't working!" Lauren practically screeched from the back seat.

It was almost on que when my radio went out just being all static over the speakers. This wasn't good. Shit. This must of been why my brothers and Kelsey were here.

"There's the store Lex. Try and find parking!" Jessica said leaning over the passenger seat.

"I don't think that's a good idea. I mean this place is deserted." My voice was hard as I tried to remain were screwed if we didn't leave. I parked my car by a 7-11 gas station and pulled my phone out. No Service. This wasn't good at all.

"You guys wait in here, keep the doors locked and the car running." I leaned over and opened the glove box fumbling around until I found my hand gun.

"What the hell Alexis!" Lauren's voice was laced with fear as she saw the gun.

"What are you doing with that!" Angela backed up in her seat facing me wide eye. They were all staring at me like I was going to lose it any second.

"Calm down guys. I'm going to see if there is anyone here." I took a deep breath before putting my hand on the door handle.

"But why are you taking a gun with you." Jessica said looking at me incredulously.

"Just to be safe. I mean where is everyone?" I looked around trying to find a sign that someone was here but nothing. I opened the door and leaned back down. "Please guys. Stay in the car and if I'm not back in fifteen minutes get out of here." I closed the door before I could hear what they were saying.

It was to quiet when I opened the front door and entered the building. Various bags of food and candy were knocked all over the floor and some display cases were knocked over. What the hell happened here? I had the gun positioned in front of me as dad had taught us when searching rooms. I slowly made my way behind the counter grabbing the phone to see if it had a signal. Nothing. The silence on the other line made my hair stand up even more as I got up and made my way through the rest of the store. What is that?

I inched closer to the bathroom door, there was blood splattered on the door and blood on the floor going out the back door. We need to get out of here. I turned on my heel my heart racing and proceeded to knock over a small display of cold medicine. I froze. Silence followed the loud crashing noise. That was close. I let out a huge sigh of relief as I headed to the door. The sound of a door closing caught my attention and made me turn toward it. This really isn't good. I slowly turned towards the noise and a lady in a 7-11 uniform was standing outside the bathroom door with blood on her face.

"Excuse me, do you have a phone I could borrow?" I asked trying to see if I could get a response. She took a slow step towards me before stopping.

"Yeah I have one back this way if you'd like to use it." She slowly smiled before taking another step towards me.

"Oh okay. I'll just use mine, thanks though. But I got to get going, you know can't be late for dinner." I started backing up never taking my eyes off the lady I front of me.

In a blink of an eye her demeanor changed and she started to walk as if she was stalking prey. I'm so screwed. I turned on my heel sprinting back toward the door as fast as I could with the knee brace still on my leg. Why didn't I take this stupid thing off. I grabbed the door handle throwing it open and sprinted out into the blinding light. A scream pierced through the air as I tried sprinting with the knee brace to the car. Grabbing the handle I threw open the drivers door to come face to face with Angela staring at me with giant eyes.

"What was that?!" Jessica's voice was filled with fear as she clutched onto Lauren's arm.

"I don't know." I gasped out of breath from running back. I locked the doors as I fumbled to put the car in drive.

"Wait! Lex! Let's ask them for help!" Lauren pointed towards the building.

The lady the was inside was almost to the car as a few more people started appearing from behind the building. A loud banging noise brought my attention to the passenger side window. The lady from inside was the one who was pounding on the window, but now she was writing with the blood on her face. You can't hide. The message was clear as day as I threw the car into reverse getting out of the parking lot as fast as I could.

"What the hell was that!" "Is she okay?!" "I want to go home!" The girls all were practically screaming at once was what happened set in.

"I don't think we can." My grip tightened on the steering wheel.

"And why is that!" Lauren's voice was raised as she leaned forward. "Why can't we!"

"Look. Just calm down guys! I need to find my brothers. They might know what's going on."

"And how possibly could your brothers help." Jessica fell back into the seat. "This isn't funny! Like why would that lady act like that!"

"My phone still won't work!" Lauren said as she tried holding her phone up to get service. "And why in the hell do you have a gun Alexis." I could feel everyone's eyes boring into the back of my head as my grip tightened on the steering wheel.

"My dad gave it to me, okay?" I lied through my teeth as I kept my eyes on the road looking for any signs of my brothers. "Plus don't you think it kind of strange that this town is practically abandoned?" I said trying to change the subject.

"Well I guess, maybe it's for a movie they're shooting!" Lauren clapped her hands together her mood suddenly changed, "Or a prank show."

"Hey look! There's someone over there!" Angela pointed across the street. "Hurry Lex! We don't want to loose them!"

"Okay, okay." I pressed on the gas trying to speed towards the direction that Angela pointed. Is that...I rolled down the window as fast as I could as we turned the corner.

"SAMMY!" I released the breath I had been holding. "I'm so glad to see you!" Sam spun towards the car as he heard his name.

"Lexy! What are- how- why are you here?!" He asked bewildered.

"It's a long story.. but I'm so glad I finally found you!"

"Come on. It's not safe for us out here." Sam said cautiously looking around he motioned for us to follow him.

"Let's go guys." I said while rolling my window up.

"Who's he?" Lauren said with lust in her voice. "He's one fine looking man."

"My brother. Look guys we need to hurry- just grab what you need and let's get out of here."

"I still don't get why we just can't just leave. We have our hotel reservation waiting for us." Jessica fell back in her seat looking between all of us.

"Well that's not an option right now." My voice was strained as I got out of the car. "But come on, we've wasted enough time out here already." I turned on my heel before I could hear what they said walking over towards Sam.

"So who are they?" Sam nodded in the direction of my car.

"Friends from school. Well probably won't be after this." I glanced behind me watching them get out of my car.

"It'll be okay Lex. I'm sure they'll still be your friend once we get out of this town." Sam said quietly as he pulled me into a hug.

"So where are we even going." Lauren said giving my brother an approving look.

"Not far." Sam pulled away and pointed to a brick building near where we were standing. "Dean had me get some things out of his car." He picked up the green stained duffel bag that had seen better days and threw it over his shoulder and started walking towards the building.

"So Dean and Kelsey are here too?"

"Yeah. But why are you here Lex?" Sam glanced down at me keeping his voice quiet.

"Don't even get me started Sammy. We were dress shopping in Portland when some cashier told us to come check out some store here and yeah..I guess that's where it went down hill."

"You. Dress shopping?" Sam let out a small tense laugh as we approached the door. "I'll believe that when I see it."

"So why are you guys here?" I looked up at my brother curiosity clear in my voice and he knocked on the door.

Sam looked down at me before glance back up to the door. The tension in his shoulders was obvious as he tried to shrug brushing my question away. The door made a clear click as a timid blonde unlocked it quickly moving out of our way ushering us in.

"Who in the hell are they." A loud stern voice pierced the air as we made our way through the door. "How do we know they aren't one of them!"

"Sarge they're fine."

"We don't know that!" Sarge grabbed the rifle that was hanging on his side and aimed it in our direction. "I ain't taking no chances!"

"Oh my god! Please don't.." Lauren begged her eyes wide with fear as she grabbed Jessica and Angela pushing then in front of her. Fear was evident in their eyes. "Please! Oh my god why did we even come here!"

"What is going on in here!" A stern voice pierced the air. "There won't be anybody shooting anyone here." Dean came from around the corner and froze when his eyes landed on me.

"Hiya Dean." I gave a sheepish smile in his direction and turned my attention to the floor. This wasn't going to be good. "Like I said nobody is shooting anyone." Dean grabbed the barrel of the gun and jerked it away from the man holding it. "Especially not my sister."

"We don't know if they're one of them!"

Dean ignored the comment as he stalked towards us. Shit. I'm so dead. I glanced up at him giving him another sheepish smile before I spun on my heel looking back at Lauren, Jessica, and Angela who all had fear in their eyes and made my way towards them.

"I want to go home Lex." Tears brimmed Angela's eyes as she clung onto Jessica and Lauren. "This was a bad idea, I never should of listened to that lady in Portland."

"Hey, it'll be okay. We didn't know any of this was going to happen." I said trying to comfort them even just a little bit.

"How do you know?" Angela's voice cracked as the tears started falling.

"Well I know one thing is sure; and that is my brothers will get us out of here."

"How exactly are they going to do that," Lauren's voice was high pitched, "You coul-"

"Look I promise all of you will leave this place." Dean's voice was firm as he flung his arm around my shoulder. "But right now I just need you guys to relax and get away from the door." He motioned for them to follow as he lead me towards a waiting room.

A vet office? Well I guess we could be stuck in worse places. I looked around to see two people sitting in the chairs and the man from earlier staring at us untrusting. Where was Kelsey? She said she would be here.. I felt my heart drop. Where was she?

"Dean..where's Kel-"

"Can you guys try to get service on your phone? We need to try and contact someone." Dean cut me off as he looked towards my friends.

Where is she. My head started racing with all the worst case scenarios.

"And Lex. We need to talk." Dean said glancing back towards Sam. "Sam, keep an eye on everyone out here."

Dean grabbed my hand. His hand felt too hot and uncomfortable in my clammy hand as he lead me towards the hallway. She said she'd be here. So where was she. Dean walked into a room that was too white and motioned for me to sit down. I shook my head as I looked up at him. He was hiding something he just had to be.

"Dean. Where's Kelsey?" My voice sounded funny even to me. It was almost a mixture of pain and confusion. Deans green eyes were hard as he looked back at me raking his hand through his short light brown hair.

"We need to talk about that Lex."

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Also should I start adding different POV's? Would love to have some feedback on what you guys think!